Meet The “Blade Angels,” Team USA’s Figure Skaters
If you haven’t yet heard about the Blade Angels, Team USA’s trio of female figure skaters, you should probably be paying more attention to the Winter Olympics… but don’t worry, we’ve got it covered. Prepare to become obsessed.
The three were dubbed the “Blade Angels” in a post on the nbcolympics Instagram page, where they got the showgirl treatment in an introduction narrated by none other than THE Taylor Swift.
The trio consists of Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, all of whom will be skating today, Thursday, February 19, in the Free Skate event at 1 p.m. ET.
The video introduces them one-by-one, and in the spirit of the Olympic Games, we also thought it would be fun to learn a little more about each of these impressive Team USA athletes. So, here are some facts about the trio:
The first U.S. woman to land the triple Axel internationally was none other than Tonya Harding in 1991, followed by Mirai Nagasu at the 2018 Olympics, Alysa Liu, also in 2018, and finally, Amber Glenn.
2.
As mentioned, Alysa Liu was the third U.S. woman (actually, girl) to land the triple Axel internationally. She accomplished the jump in 2018, at only 12 years old.
4.
Isabeau Levito is famous for her balletic elegance on the ice. Her skating style is markedly lyrical; according to NBC’s Olympics website, “Unlike many skaters who rely heavily on high-difficulty jumps, Levito balances technical ability with musical interpretation.” She is known “for her ability to connect with audiences through subtle emotional storytelling.” At only 18, 2026 marks Isabeau’s first Olympic Games.
10.
Isabeau Levito was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Mount Holly, New Jersey, but her mother, Chiara, is from Milan. Her grandmother, Stella, and extended family still live there; so, NBC quips, “no one even has to get a hotel.” Apparently, her grandma lives “exactly 13 minutes from the Olympic rink.” It must have been fate that she would compete at the Milan Cortina Games!
11.
In 2022, Alysa Liu announced her retirement at only 16 years old, after helping Team USA win Bronze at the Beijing Winter Olympics. While she had achieved the dream of becoming an Olympic medalist, she felt “trapped and stuck” — her career until that point had been guided by her father, coaches, and choreographers. She wanted a normal teenage life. After retiring from skating, she got her driver’s license, spent time playing video games with her siblings, and began college at UCLA.
12.
Amber Glenn came out as bisexual and pansexual in 2019, in an interview with the Dallas Voice. “The fear of not being accepted is a huge struggle for me,” she said. “I don’t want to shove my sexuality in people’s faces, but I also don’t want to hide who I am.” She is the first openly LGBT+ woman to represent the U.S. in figure skating.
Well, there you have it. Let’s give a big round of applause to these icons — Olympic medals or not, they’re our winners always!
